Stephenson County Organization

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Stephenson County are kept, see the Stephenson County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts

Stephenson county is named for Colonel Benjamin Stephenson, who served as a colonel in the War of 1812 in the Illinois Militia. He also served as adjutant general of the territory in 1813.

Record Loss

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

Records and Resources

Biography

Cemeteries

Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.

Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.

Genealogy

History

Land and Property

1800s-Present - Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a research establish location and lead to National Archives' records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are housed at the National Archives.

Family Maps of Stephenson County, Illinois (2008) plats the land of many nineteenth-century Stephenson County residents. The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname index. FHL Book 977.333 E7b

1837-1962 Deed Records IRAD-NIU; search for Stephenson County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

1837-1938 Deed Index IRAD-NIU; search for Stephenson County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

Maps

Military

Civil WarCivil War service men from Stephenson County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Stephenson County.

Probate Records

Repositories

County Courthouse

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Stephenson County are kept, see the Stephenson County Courthouse page.

Family History Center

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site. The following center serves Stephenson County:

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)

The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois.